Tape dispenser



Nov. 3, 1964 E. F. KUSEK TAPE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 30. 1961 INVENTOR. Edwin F k'usek Y (QV QMM M4144 az f ys United States Patent 3,155,301 TAPE DISPENSER Edwin F. Kusek, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Mystik Tape, End, a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 134,873 1 Claim. (Cl. 225-66) This invention relates to the combination of a dispenser and package for roll tape and it relates more particularly to a dispenser for tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive on one surface.

It is an object of this invention to produce a new and improved tape dispenser and it is a related object to produce a tape dispenser of the type described which also serves as a package for display, distribution and sale of roll tape.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to produce a tape dispenser which is simple in construction and easy in operation, which can be molded or otherwise formed of relatively inexpensive raw materials, which is attractive in appearance, which houses the roll tape in a non-crushable or non-bendable condition, which provides means for cut-01f of the tape to lengths desired, which insures the ready accessibility of a free end portion of the tape from the outside of the container for displacement of a desired length of tape from the roll, which embodies means for guiding the tape for even and easy removal from the roll, which continuously supports the roll in a manner uniformly to distribute the forces existing when pulling a length of tape from the roll, which permits easy insertion of the roll of tape into position of use in the dispenser, and which substantially completely encloses the roll of tape whereby the tape is kept clean thereby to adapt the dispenser for use with clear tape and the like.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective rear elevational view of the dispenser embodying the features of this invention with a roll tape shown in position of use;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the side of the dispenser to the right in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3. In accordance with the practice of this invention, the tape dispenser is constructed with an outer enclosure in the form of a housing of substantially rectangular or square shape having a top wall 12, side walls 14 and 16, a bottom wall 18, and a front wall 20. The front wall extends inwardly from the front edges of the top, side and bottom walls to a circular opening 22 in the central portion of the front wall.

Extending inwardly from the front wall in registry with the opening 22 and spaced from the outer walls 12, 14, 16 and 18 by an amount greater than the thickness of a roll of tape to be dispensed is a cylindrical section 24 having an outer wall to wall diameter corresponding to and preferably slightly less than the inner wall to wall diameter of the core 26 on which a length of tape 28 is wound to form the roll package 30.

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The cylindrical section is formed with diametrically opposed tongues 32 each of which is defined by a pair of closely spaced apart slots 34 and 36 extending inwardly from the rearward edge of the cylindrical section 24 for a distance short of the front wall 20 to impart resiliency to the tongue members thereby to enable the tongues to be flexed radially from their normal positions. Each tongue is formed with a flange 38 at the rearward free edge extending radially in a direction away from the center and into the path of the core 26 of the roll tape 30 when the latter is inserted into position of use about the cylindrical section. The exposed rearward surface 40 of the flanges is inclined to provide a cam surface adapted to be engaged by the core during axial displacement of the roll tape onto the cylindrical section whereby the flanges 38 are cammed radially in the direction towards the center until cleared by the core as the roll tape is displaced into position of use within the housing. For this purpose, the cylindrical section 24 is dimensioned to have a width at least as great as the roll of tape and preferably corresponding to the Width of the roll of tape while the flanged portion 38 on the ends of the tongues is adapted to be spaced from the front Wall 20 by an amount slightly greater than the width of the roll of tape so that, when the roll is displaced axially into the housing, the core will clear the flanged sections 38 so that the tongues will automatically return to normal position whereby the tongues 38 will confront the core and prevent inadventent removal of the roll from the cylindrical section. Thus the roll of tape will be confined between the tongues 38 and the front Wall 20 of the housing and it will be supported all around upon the cylindrical section in a manner to provide support during relative rotational movement.

In the preferred practice of this invention, the side, top and bottom walls 12, 14, 16 and 18 of the housing are dimensioned to be slightly greater than the width of the roll of tape and the tongues 32 with the flanges 38 on the ends thereof are dimensioned to have a length corresponding to the width of the walls so that the flanged tongues will terminate flush with the rearward edge of the housing whereby the dispenser will be able to lie flat on any supporting surface. Under such circumstances, the cylindrical section 24 will be dimensioned to have a width less than the width of the side, top and bottom walls so that, when in position of use, the roll of tape will be confined within the enclosed space defined between the cylindrical section 24 and the walls 12, 14, 16 and 18 of the housing.

The top wall 12 is formed with a slot 42 extending across the center portion thereof and through which the free end 44 of the tape is threaded to extend outwardly of the housing where it will be accessible for withdrawal of a length of tape from the roll. To one side of the slot, the front wall portion 46 is inclined downwardly to the adjacent side wall where an upstanding ledge 48 is provided having a pair of guide posts 50 spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the width of the tape and having a serrated cutting edge 52 in between which assists in cutting the tape when the latter is stretched thereover. The amount of incline and the height of the ledge is balanced to bring the upper portion of the ledge to substantially the same level as the top wall 12 so that the tape will extend substantially parallel with the wall when stretched from the edge of the slot 42 over the serrated cutting edge 52.

The other portion 54 of the top wall is formed with a pair of upwardly extending ribs 56 and 58 arranged crosswise of the wall in spaced parallel relation with one of the ribs 56 being arranged closely adjacent the edge of the slot 42.

Having described the basic concepts in the construction of the dispenser, reference will now be made to utilization thereof with a roll of clear tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive on one surface. It will be understood that the dispenser is adapted to be used with tapes other than clear tapes and it should also be understood that the dispenser may be turned at various angles such as 90 whereby the wall defined as the top wall 12 would constitute a vertically disposed front wall or back wall.

By reason of the dimensional relationship of the cylindrical section 24 and the resilient connection 32, forming a part thereof, the dispenser permits easy insertion of the roll of tape into position of use within the housing. Merely by the axial displacement of the roll onto the cylindrical section, the core 26 will be brought into en gagement with the cam surface 40 of the flanges 38 to cam the flanges from the path of the core whereby the roll of tape can be displaced relative th housing onto the cylindrical section. When the flanges are cleared by the core, the tongues 32 will spring back to normal position whereby the flanges will return into the path of the core to retain the core about the cylindrical section between the flanged end portions and the front wall of the housing.

By reason of the correspondence between the diameter of the cylindrical section 24 and the diameter of the core 26, the roll of tape is retained in its circular form while in position of use thereby to provide uniform support for rotation of the roll within the housing responsive to a uniform pulling force on the end portion of the tape extending through the slotted front wall to the outside of the housing.

Since the roll of tape is mounted between rigid supports including the front wall 20, the cylindrical section 24, and the flanged tongues 32, the roll of tape remains free of binding forces or is protected against any squeezing actions whereby it is free to turn about the cylindrical section to pay out lengths of tape in response to a pulling force.

In the preferred practice of the invention, the serrated cutting edge 52 is located on the side of the slot corresponding to the position of the side of the tape that is free of the pressure-sensitive adhesive so that the tape is unrolled with the non-sticky side bearing upon the wall portion defining the edge of the slot so that it is the nonsticky side which is brought to bear on the serrations to cut the desiredlength from the roll of tape. Under such circumstances, the tape does not adhere to the engaged wall portion of the housing or to the serrated cutting edge thereby to reduce the amount of pulling force required to pay out tape from the roll and thereby also to free the cut edge of the tape from the serrated cutting member 52.

A further concept of this invention is to so space the serrated cutting edge from the slot 42 and to so space the slot 42 from the periphery of the roll of tape that the former covers a greater distance than the latter whereby, when the slot is formed narrow enough, the free end portion of the tape extending outwardly of the housing, whensevered by the serrated cutting edge 52, will remain outside of the housing where ready access can be had for further withdrawal. When the slot is excessively wide and the length of the tape outside of the housing is small, the free end portion can re-enter the confined space between the housing and the cylindrical section whereby further access is difficult to achieve for further dispensing.

In the event that the end portion of the tape extending outwardly of the housing turns in the opposite direction so that the'stickyside comes into engagement with the adjacent wall of the housing, the portion engaged will be the parallel spaced apart upstanding ribs 56 and 58 which operate to space the tape from the Wall of the housing so that the end portion will remain accessible for easy displacement to enable further dispensing operations to be carried out in a simple and eificient manner.

In respect to the foregoing, it is desirable to space the serrated cutting edge 52 from its side of the slot 42 by an amount greater than the distance of the farthest of the pair of ribs 58 from its side of the slot. As a result of the foregoing, the length of the tape extending free of the slot after cut-off will be greater than the distance of the ribs from the slot so that reversal of the direction of the free end of the tape extending outwardly of the housing will enable the tape to span the ribs and still provide an end portion extending beyond the ribs for enabling the tape to be picked off for additional dispensing. It will be noticed that, under the latter conditions, the sticky side of the tape will be on the underside so as to be protected from contamination by dirt or the like.

The pair of laterally spaced apart guides 59 adjacent the lateral edges of the serrated cutter 52 function as guides to the user for alignment of the tape when brought into engagement with the cutting edge whereby an even tear is always available across the tape construction when the serrated cutting edge at substantially the same level as the exit opening or slot in the top wall of the housing permits the tape to be aligned with the opening during the tearing operation. This coupled with the guides assists in a uniform tear with minimum force.

It will be apparent that the tape is completely enclosed in position of use, especially when the dispenser is laid flush on its back side upon a flat surface thereby to protect the interior of the housing from contamination by dust or dirt. This is particularly desirable in a housing for dispensing clear tape so that all of the tape dispensed therefrom will be usable.

Another unique feature is that a dispenser of the construction described can be efficiently and economically molded in a single piece from plastic or the like material. It will be understood, however, that the dispenser embodying the features described can be assembled of separate parts formed of the same or of different materials but that a single piece molding would be the more desirable.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

A holder and dispenser for pressure-sensitive adhesive tape wound in roll form about a cylindrical core comprising an enclosure formed of interconnected side, bottom and top walls having a width at least as great as the width of the roll and in which the opposite walls are spaced one from another by an amount at least as great as the diameter of the roll, a cylindrical section sized within the enclosure in spaced parallel relation with the walls to define a space therebetween dimensioned to be at least as great as the thickness of the roll, a width no greater than the width of the walls and having an outer wall-to-wall dimension corresponding to about the internal diameter of the core to receive the core concentrically about the cylindrical section in position of use, means forming a part of the cylindrical section for blocking the core against axial movement from off of the cylindrical section when in position of use, one of said side, top and bottom walls being formed with a narrow slot extending crosswise thereof intermediate the ends, a pair of ribs projecting outwardly from the face of the wall to one side of the opening and extending crosswise thereof in spaced parallel relation with one of the ribs adjacent the opening, and an upstanding rib having a serrated cutting edge projecting outwardly from the wall to the other side of the opening and extending in parallel relation therewith, and in which the distance between the cutting edge and the 5 slot is greater than the distance between the outermost rib of the pair of ribs and the slot so that the end portion of the tape beyond the enclosure will be dimensioned to extend beyond the pair of ribs for engagement of the adhesive side thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,309,396 Jackson Jan. 26, 1943 6 Schieman Jan. 14, 1947 Donkin June 2, 1953 Vogt Dec. 24, 1957 V FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Dec. 10, 1951 Great Britain Feb. 1, 1961 

